Patch Notes/1.42.2.6052
1.42 Balance Changes In just a few short weeks since its release, Defiance is shaping up to be one of the most impactful Eternal sets ever. There is a lot of the set yet to explore, so we want to be cautious about being too reactionary to early trends. That said, there are a handful of changes we've been discussing internally for a while that are particularly apt, given recent results. ;Jennev Merchant - Now 2/2 (was 3/2) ;Ixtun Merchant - Now 3/2 (was 3/3) ;Changeestik - Now Spellcraft 5 (was Spellcraft 4) With Auralian Merchant already getting hit with a nerf, Jennev Merchant and Ixtun Merchant have been in ongoing discussion for potential reduction in power level. That they have been so popular and successful is not inherently problematic, however, they were both already pushing the boundaries and a number of high impact cards in Defiance have helped push them over the line. We're confident these minor stat modifications preserve their primary functionality, while just pulling back a little on how powerful of game pieces they are on the table. We're also keeping a close watch on several Defiance cards that players have already started to adapt to that will hopefully be brought a little more into line with these Merchant changes. Changeestik was a controversial inclusion in the Defiance draft packs, on account of its unusually high power level. The gameplay it offers is quite good, however, and particularly important to the Defiance draft format. While the Defiance draft metagame has been quite diverse and balanced, we have decided to pull back a little on the raw rate of Changeestick, preserving its power as a Renown-enabler, while making it a little less generically good of a removal spell. We realize this change has an impact on ranked, as well, and we're hopeful that by changing the Spellcraft cost, rather than the cost to play, that we're preserving most of the card's buffing functionality (even if it’s a little slower when used as an answer to big units). Defiance brought with it more new strong removal cards than most previous sets, and keeping an eye on their power level is definitely a priority. Though they have proven highly impactful, so far, we haven't seen any of them reaching oppressive levels; and already, players have been making substantial changes to the mix of units they play, adjusting to the new challenges these removal cards place on the format. While we want to give the new cards introduced in Defiance time for players to explore, we did want to buff one in this wave of changes: ;Tavia, Lethrai Raidleader - Now has Quickdraw Tavia, Lethrai Raidleader can have a big impact on the board, but with the mix of strategies seeing play, it has been proving a little too dangerous for her to get into battle. Quickdraw lets her attack in a lot more positions, particularly when facing Merchants. As always, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the Defiance meta game as it emerges, and we’ll see you next weekend for ECQ: Burning Hope!